1989 Volkswagen Golf Diesel - She’s A Keeper

Purchased new in 1989, this Mk2 Golf is Daniel Breton's first love.

Twenty-three years ago, a 29 year-old Montreal native, Daniel Breton, walked into a Vw dealer and purchased what would be his favorite car ever: A 1982 Golf diesel.

"I've always loved the Mk2," said Daniel. "It's my favorite model." And he's not alone because there's something about the Mk2 - something that was missing from each subsequent generation. It's got an attitude. Maybe it's the angular nature of the body, the perfect proportions, the iconic front-end. It just works in metallic harmony.

We generally see Mk2s owned by young kids with pocket change and a love for air-ride, but Daniel's enthusiasm comes from a different time. At 52 years old, he loves the car with every bone in his body, and each aches equally because he's been the only one wrenching on it since day one. He's been in his garage with just hand tools and a floor jack.

He didn't take a slow approach to modifying, though. Actually, the stock Golf only lasted seven days. "One week after driving it home, I built a brand new motor with Weber carburetors," he explained. "I went back to the dealer and the salesman asked me about the warranty but I didn't care about that!" Correct answer.

Fast forward to today and what you see here might be the perfect example of the Mk2. Sure, the tuning world encompasses an enormous variety of styles and tastes, but this car speaks to you. It's highly modified, no doubt, but maintains its original, old school character.

Daniel finally repainted it two years ago. But instead of choosing a color that's impossible to find, or something showy and vibrant, he kept the factory Charcoal Grey as if it was repainted at the VW factory again.

It's not all looks either, this hatch is a goddamn monster. Let's see, it's certainly lighter than its original 2006 lb but now packs its third motor, a 2.1-liter 16v turbo motor with a 25psi uppercut that'll rip the tires to shreds.

"I'm very happy with it," Daniel gloated. "The engine's so strong, it's crazy." Barely breaking into the sweet spot of the Garrett GT30R, the 2.1L makes a generous 400whp on pump gas, and you can bet the skinny 195/45 rubber isn't doing much to aid traction. Thankfully, Daniel didn't skip a beat in his build. Utilizing a G60 casing, he stuffed a VR6 1-4 gear set inside the transmission, along with the long TDI 5th gear for highway cruising. It was topped off with a Quaife limited-slip.

While the power can be frenetic in the lower gears, the car hooks hard in top. But let's face it, this Mk2 turbo isn't for 0-60mph records; it's a toy. A really well-built toy.

Despite its obvious performance assets, Daniel still drives it to every show he can, including H2O International in Maryland; a show he's attended every year since it's inception [see p94 for our coverage]. "Everybody knows the car because I've owned it so long," he laughed.

Daniel's a diehard enthusiast. He's the epitome of what the VW scene needs; a true fan of the brand and its culture. His Golf won't be going anywhere, for now, so don't bother lowballing him online. "I'll keep it forever!" he exclaimed. And we're sure you would too if you somehow managed to dump nearly $100,000 in your German econobox over the course of more than two decades.